ggpTEMBER 1978 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y CORRESPONDENCE 21 near Madam, vVould y ou b e g o o d e n o u g h to b r in g to th e n o tic e f vour re a d e rs w h o do n o t b e lo n g to th e P riv a te p a ctitio n ers A s s o c ia tio n th e fa c t th e G o v e rn m e n t h a s d down a ta riff o f p h y s io th e ra p y c h a rg e s fo r M e d ica l A'd P a tie n ts w h ic h w as g a z e tte d in O c to b e r 1977. F o r p'ivate (i-e - N O N M e d ic a l A id p a tie n ts ) th e fee h a s to V a m inim um o f 25% h ig h e r th a n th e c o rre s p o n d in g M edical A id T a riff f o r th e ty p e o f tre a tm e n t given. M any p h y s io th e ra p is ts seem to be u n a w a re o f th is nd are u n w ittin g ly c a u s in g diffic u lties fo r m e m b e rs o f the P riv a te P r a c titio n e r s A s s o c ia tio n by a p p a re n tly charging p a tie n ts th e y tre a t w h a te v e r fee th e y th in k a ppropriate. T h is is le a d in g to a c c u s a tio n s a g a in s t p riv a te P ra c titio n e r s A s s o c ia tio n m e m b e rs o f o v e r ­ charging’ a n d e n ta ils a lo t o f e x tra w o rk f o r th e E x e c u ­ tive C o m m itte e as w ell as e m b a rra s s m e n t to th e P r iv a te Practitioners m e m b e r o r m e m b e rs in v o lv e d . A le c e n t c ase o f a h e m ip le g ia f o r in sta n c e , w h o w as ■ -m em ber o f a M e d ic a l A id S o c ie ty w as c h a rg e d th e Hzetted M e d ic a l A id F e e o f R 6 ,6 0 by a P ra c titio n e r , Jnd la te r w e n t o n h o lid a y to a c o u n try d is tr ic t w h e re he was c h a rg e d a flat ra te o f R 5,00 b y a n S.A .S.P. mem ber w h o o b v io u s ly h a d n o id ea o f th e c o rre c t fee. The ira te a n d c o n fu se d p a ti e n t c o m p la in e d b itte r ly to the o rig in a l P .P .A . m e m b e r th a t h e h a d b e en o v e r ­ charged, a n d th e case w as re fe r r e d to th e E x e c u tiv e Committee to try to s o rt o u t in o rd e r to p re v e n t an unnecessary c o m p la in t b e in g se n t o n to th e P ro fe s s io n a l Board. Let m e hasten to add that all fees m ay be reduced if the P hysiotherapist considers the case warrants a lower fee, but it is essential that the laid-dow n fe e be quoted and then the red uction stated. W ould n o n -P .P .A . m e m b e rs w ho a c c e p t th e o c c a sio n a l Private case f r o m tim e to tim e P L E A S E c o n ta c t th e ir local P r iv a te P r a c titio n e r s A s s o c ia tio n C h a ir m a n b e fo re quoting fees. T h e n a m e s a n d a d d re ss e s o f B ra n c h C h a irm e n a re printed in th e . J o u rn a l, a n d th e P r iv a te P ra c titio n e r s A sso c ia tio n S e c re ta ry is — M iss B. W in te r, a t 936 L ibertas M e d ic a l C e n tre , G o o d w o o d . 7460. ’P h o n e N o . 98-2792. E ven b e tte r — if y o u ta k e on P riv a te p a tie n ts w h y not b e c o m e a M e m b e r o f th e P .P .A . a n d th e n all relevant in f o r m a tio n w ill b e s u p p lie d to you. ^ M R S . P. P IL K 1 N G T O N u e a r M a d a m , I a m a p a r t- tim e p h y s io th e ra p is t, a c tin g h e a d o f a d e p a rtm e n t, w o rk in g in a sm all h o s p ita l w ith o n ly p a rt-tim e staff. In w h a t w a y h a v e I be n efite d fro m b e in g a m e m b e r o f th e N a tio n a l H o s p ita l G r o u p ? W e all b e n efit g re a tly , n o t o n ly as p a r t- tim e r s b u t a lso as m a r r ie d w o m e n c o m in g b a ck in to p ra c tic e a fte r h a v in g o u r c h ild re n . I h a v e le a rn t a b o u t th e “ re d ta p e ” in v o lv e d in ru n n in g a h o s p ita l d e p a rtm e n t a n d ho w to a p p ro a c h th is p ro b le m . A s 1 h a v e m et th e p h y s io th e ra p is ts a n d h e a d s o f o th e r h o s p ita ls , I can n o w c o n ta c t th e m w h e n I n eed help. W e a re k e p t c o m p le te ly u p to d a te , so m e tim e s even m o re th a n th e D o c to rs a re. I le a rn a lo t m o re a n d q u ic k e r fro m a few h o u r s ’ d isc u ssio n o n c e e v e ry tw o m o n th s th a n f r o m r e a d in g jo u r n a ls o r b o o k s b e ca u se it is re al a n d so p ra c tic a l. A “r e tu r n in g - in to - p r a c tic e ” p h y s io th e r a p is t w ill feel less in a d e q u a te a f te r a tte n d in g a fe w o f th e s e m ee tin g s. A t a n y r a te sh e w ill k n o w to w h o m to tu r n in an e m e rg e n c y fo r a dvice. I th in k th a t th e re w o u ld b e m a n y m o re p a rt-tim e staff if th e s a la rie s a n d w o rk in g c o n d itio n s w e re b e tte r. W e can o n ly a c h ie v e th is if w e u n ite a n d w o rk to g e th e r to w a rd s th is g oal. M R S . C. M . B E N N E T T S D e a r M a d a m T h e In a u g u ra l M e e tin g o f th e S o u th A fric a n T r a u m a S o c iety w as h e ld on 27 th M a rc h 1978 d u r in g th e 11th B ie n n ia l C o n g re ss o f th e A s s o c ia tio n o f S u rg e o n s o f S o u th A fric a in B lo e m fo n te in . A ffilia tio n o f th is b o d y u n d e r th e S o u th A fric a n M e d ic a l A s s o c ia tio n h a s b een a p p lie d fo r a n d th e E x e c u tiv e C o m m itte e c o n sists o f: P re s id e n t: P ro f. A. E . W ilk in s o n (J o h a n n e s b u rg ). V ic e -P re s id e n t: P ro f. P. H . K ry n a u w C illie rs (P re to ria ). H o n o r a r y S e c re ta ry a n d T r e a s u r e r : D r. J. W . v a n d e r S p u y (C a p e T o w n ). M e m b e rs : D r. A. S teyn (Jo h a n n e s b u rg ), D r. E . J. T h e r o n (B lo e m fo n te in ), D r. J. V. R o b b s (D u rb a n ). T h e a im o f th e S o c iety is to p ro m o te th e m a n a g e ­ m en t, te a c h in g a n d s tu d y o f tr a u m a a n d w e a re k een to d ra w in to o u r ra n k s a ll th o se s h a rin g th is c o m m o n in te rest. A s so c ia te m e m b e rs h ip is o ffere d to R e g is te re d P h y s io th e ra p is ts w ith a special in te re s t in tr a u m a a t a n o m in a l a n n u a l s u b s c r ip tio n fee o f o n e ra n d . S everal such A s so c ia te M e m b e rs h a v e a lre a d y jo in e d a n d o u r to ta l m e m b e rs h ip n o w exceeds 100. It is p la n n e d to s ta rt lo ca l g ro u p s in th e la rg e r c e n tre s in th e n e a r fu tu re . P e rso n s in te re s te d in jo in in g o u r ra n k s a r e in v ite d to w rite to m e a t T h e A c c id e n t U n it, G r o o te S c h u u r H o s p ita l O b s e rv a to ry , 7925. J. W . V A N D E R S P U Y ( H o n o ra ry S e c re ta ry /T re a s u re r) G E V I N D I N ’N F IS IO T E R A P I E - L E S I N G L O K A A L G O U E R E E L S V I R ’N O R T O P E D I E S E S A A L K L A S 1. F r a k t u r e b e n e : D ra a i sk ro e w e los en v e rw y d e r penne. R e d e : P a s ie n t m o e t v ry lik k a n bew eeg. 2. Sny a lle g ip ssp a lk e v e rsig tig los m et ’n sk e rp le m m e tjie . R e d e : V e rw y d e rin g v a n sty fh e id en v o o rk o m in g van im m o b ilisa sie . 3. A lle ge w ig te m o e t te rs to n d v e rw y d e r w o rd . R e d e : D it val o p d ie F is io te r a p e u t se tone. 4. F r a k tu u r - b e e n m o e t v o ile gew ig d ra g e d u re n d e h e ro p le id in g v a n loop. R e d e : V o o rk o m a tro fie v a n sp ie re. 5. N o o i d ie ta n n ie m e t d ie tee v rie n d e lik o m d it te k o m u itd e e l. R e d e : D ie p a s ie n te w o rd d o rs v a n al d ie oefen. 6 . S kakel d ie r a d i o ’s a a n o p R a d io B a n to e — d it sal d ie ritm e a a n g e e v ir d ie ritm ie s e bew egings. 7. N o o i d ie b e s o e k e rs v rie n d e lik o m m a n u e le w eer- s ta n d te k o m gee. 8 . B ew eeg d ie f r a k tu u r s tu k k e o m ’n e k s tra g e w rig te v o rm v ir g ro te r m o b ilite it. 9. H o u k ie rie - en k ru k g e v e g te o m a rm s te v e rste rk . 10. L e e r d ie sp e sifiek e p a s ie n te h y g a s e m h a lin g in die o o rg a n g s fa s e v a n ’n re g te r o n d e rb e e n a m p u ta s ie . 11. ln d ie n d ie p a s ie n te lo m e rig ra a k , g o o i h u lle m et m e d isy n e b a lle o f sa n d sa k k e . 12. K o u ys v ir g r o te r v ita lite it en frek w en sie . 13. T r e k d ie p le iste rs v a n d ie v e ltra k s ie v in n ig a f om b e e n h a re te v e rw y d e r. 14. D r u k ’n g ro o t stu k w a tte in p a s ie n te se m o n d e w a t ge se lserig is o f la a t h u lle s ta tie se a se m h a lin g s - o e fe n in g e doen. 15. S lu it a f m e t R u ss ie se d a n s v ir b e e n v e rs te rk in g van f r a k tu u r - b e e n se s p ie re en m o b ilis a s ie v a n n u w e g ew rigte. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )